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The ANC in the Western Cape has condemned what it called shameful conduct by its suspended leader Marius Fransman.
The national disciplinary committee of the ANC announced earlier this month that Fransman was guilty of using his office to try and get sexual favours from Louisa Wynand and for making public statements that brought the ANC into disrepute.
He was suspended from the party for five years.
This morning, Fransman’s co-leaders in the Western Cape structure – who have been quiet on the matter since referring it to the integrity commission in January – spoke out.
Khaya Magaxa, who is the acting chairperson in Fransman’s seat, told journalists that they had observed with serious concern Fransman’s conduct, and said it was now aggravating his suspension from the organisation.
“We call on comrade Marius to exercise political maturity and desist from his shameful conduct, which rubbishes the stature and credibility of the organisation,” said Magaxa.
Magaxa said Fransman undermined the work of the integrity commission by publicly denouncing it as biased, among other allegations.
Magaxa, who was flanked by two other leaders from the provincial top five leadership, accused Fransman of wanting to determine how the integrity commission handled its investigation.
This he allegedly did by continuously interrupting the process and making complaints about it in the public domain, according to Magaxa.
“He never gave a chance to this entire process despite being part of the national general council that made the resolution, and he always conducted himself in a seriously questionable way despite our unwavering support to him,” said Magaxa
He said they would have expected a senior comrade in Fransman’s position to accept the outcome or challenge it through the channels provided in the ANC constitution.
“Failure to challenge the outcome internally means accepting the outcome.”
Fransman has 21 days – from the day of the findings – to appeal the findings and sanction against him.
Magaxa also spoke out on Fransman’s singling out of ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe in his criticism of the processes around his disciplinary hearing.
He said attacking organisational mechanisms and tools in public suggested Fransman no longer respected the ANC “let alone playing to a gallery and feeding what seems to be the trend of trying to isolate the secretary-general of the ANC, comrade Gwede Mantashe”.
“It seems now it is becoming a sub-culture among corrupt and reactionary elements that lack organisational discipline and class consciousness to use the ANC secretary-general as their punching bag in order to convince factional lords of their loyalty.”
Magaxa called on Fransman to take responsibility for his actions and not create imaginary scapegoats.
“It is extremely reckless, disrespectful and mischievous for comrade Marius to draw the SG of the ANC into his indiscretions and misdemeanours”.
Magaxa said the provincial leadership decided to speak out about Fransman after pupils occupied the provincial ANC offices on Friday demanding Fransman’s reinstatement.
The occupation was organised by the Congress of South African Students.
Magaxa described the occupation as “serious provocation”, saying Fransman was no longer fighting the factions he had been talking about at national level, but undermining the integrity of this office.
A glass door in the office was broken, allegedly by the pupils.
“There is no way we can keep quiet when kids who are supposed to be preparing for school exams are asked to camp in the offices of the ANC and disrupt it from doing its work.”
Fransman was not available for comment at the time of publishing.
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